The Master Artist...

I will sing for joy in God, 

explode in praise from deep in my soul!

He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,

he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness...

For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,

and as a garden cascades with blossoms,

So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom

and puts praise on display before the nations.

Isaiah 61:10-11 (The Message)

Emily and I have decided that God is definitely an artist. While we are sleeping at night, He pulls out his palette and His best brushes and goes to work. When we wake up in the morning, His creation is more beautiful than the day before. Living in Texas all our lives has not really given us the opportunity to experience true spring; you know, the kind of spring when everything appears to be dead and then, right on cue, comes back to life.  Yards are sporting daffodils (or "dappodils" as Abby calls them), tulips, hostas and beautiful flowering trees. Only God can bring such beauty into a land that has been gray and "dead" for several months. But, isn't that exactly who He is? He does this same wonder in our lives every day. Each day can be spring when we are walking with the Lord. All our mistakes and things we've done wrong are painted over with the touch of the Master's brush. All it takes is our willingness to give Him the palette.

Tulips are everywhere...

These trees are in our front yard...

Pretty in pink...

Backyard...

Ready to burst...

More from the backyard...

And close-up...

These are growing, too!